Flush tank heating means



July 21, 1959 J. H. STARR FLUSH TANK HEATING MEANS Filed Sept. 2, 1955 Q1 INVENTOR.

JOHN H. STARR 1 A TORNEY United States Patent FLUSH TANK HEATING MEANS John H. Starr, Hustisford, Wis.

' Application September 2, 1955, Serial No. 532,313

23 Claims. c1. 4 1s The present invention relates generally to means for preventing objectionable condensation of moisture on toilet fixtures, such as the flush tank of a toilet.

The object and general nature of the present invention is the provision of means for supplying controlled amounts of warm or' hot water to flush tanks so as to maintain the temperature of the water therein sufficiently high to prevent objectionable condensation on the outside of the tank, especially during conditions of high humidity or the like. More specifically, it is a feature of this invention to provide a fluid connection with a source of hot water and a thermally responsive valve means controlling the admission of hot water to the tank.

Another and more specific feature of this invention is the provision of a device that can easily and quickly be installed in existing installations with minimum alterations, yet effective to maintain the water in the flush tank at an elevated temperature to prevent condensation. More specifically, it is a feature of this invention to provide a thermally responsive valve unit that is supported on one end of a flexible tube and arranged to control the flow of fluid through the tube, the latter being adapted to be bent so as to be passed into the tank over the edge and then extend down into the tank to a point near the bottom but clear of all operating parts in the tank, theother end of the flexible tube being attached to an adjacent hot water line, such as one going to the wash bowl, which usually is adjacent the toilet.

Other'features of this invention have to do with a valve carried deflector for directing incoming hot water upwardly, and with new and improved means for conveniently and simply connecting the flexible tube into an adjacent hot Water line.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment ofmy invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is an elevational view, showing the manner in which a device of the present invention preferably is installed. i

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the thermally responsive valve means carried at the inner end of the tube that extends into the flush tank.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view taken along the line 3 -3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the valve structure.

Figure 6 is a section taken along the line 66 of Figure 5. I

Figure-7 shows a modified form of valve support.

Referring first to Figure 1, the reference numeral 11 indicatesthe flush tank of an ordinary domestic toilet fix-tur'e12, thetank-ll having theusual cover 13. Or

amaruy,-u1eusual bathroom' arrangement includes an' 'wardly between the tube turns.

Patented July 21, 1959 lQQ adjacent lavatory or wash bowl 15 to which hot and cold water pipes extend, as shown at 16 and 17.

The device of the present invention, indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 20, comprises an elongated flexible or bendable tube 21, to the outer end of which is fixed a conventional flange and nipple fitting 22, the nipple portion 23 of which preferably is tapered. In order to establish a connection between the tube 21 and the hot water line 16, I provide a generally U- shaped rigid member 26 having end portions 27 and 28 that face one another and are screw threaded to receive the fitting nipple section 23, as shown in Figure 4. A sealing member, such as a lead washer 29 or the like, is disposed between the inner end of the nipple 23 and the hot water pipe 16.

At the other end of the tube 21, the latter is formed into a loop section having two or more turns 32 forming a valve-embracing or encircling configuration and terminating from an upper portion 33 in which the inner end of the tube 21 extends downwardly, as shown at 34. Secured to the end 34, as by welding or soldering, is a short sleeve section 35 that, as best shown in Figure 5, is formed with a valve seat 35a with which the pointed end of a valve 36 cooperates. The valve stem 37 is triangular in section, as shown in Figure 6, and the lower portionof the valve stem 37 is formed with a cylindrical section 37a that slidably fits snugly within the lower portion of the sleeve 35. A groove 37b separates the cylindrical section 37a from the stem 37. This particular valve structure prevents chattering, as will be explained later in detail. Secured to and forming a part of the valve 36 is a deflector member 38 in the form of a concave-convex disk that is fixed, as by soldering or the like, to the valve 36. The dished portion of the deflector 38 faces upwardly, as shown in Figure 2.

At the lower part of the loop section 32 the two turns are spaced apart, as shown at 32a and 32b, Figure 3, and to the lower sides of the tube turns a nut member 41 is secured in any suitable way. A threaded adjusting member 42 is received in the nut 41 and extends up- A handle 44 is fixed to the lower end of the adjusting member 42, and the latter carries a lock nut 45 to retain the desired adjustment. A thermally responsive cell 48 of the expansible bellows type is carried on the upper end of the adjustable member by any suitable means, such as a threaded socket 49 that is secured to the lower face of the cell 48. At the upper side of the latter there is a contact ring 51 that is engageable with the lower side of the valve 36, specifically the deflector part 38 thereof.

The installation and operation of the device of the present invention is substantially as follows.v

After a hole 55 (Figure 4) is drilled in the hot water pipe 16 at a convenient location, as under an adjacent wash bowl, as shown in Figure l, the U-shaped member 26 is slipped over the pipe 16 and then the nipple 23 is screwed into the member 26 with the lead washer between the nipple and the pipe and surrounding the hole in the pipe. If desired, the hole may be drilled after the nipple 23 and member 26 are secured to the pipe 16, using the hole in the nipple as a guide for drilling a hole in the pipe. After flushing out all of the drill chips from the pipe and fittings, the tube 21 is brought into position, after the nipple 23 has been tightened in member 26, and secured to the outer part of the nipple 23.

The tube 21 is then bent so as to extend out of the way and is brought over the edge of the flush tank and shaped to dispose the valve end in the lower part of the tank away from any of the operating parts in the tank. The valve is then brought into the proper position by inserting the stem 37 up into the sleeve section 35, and

next the thermally responsive cell 48 is mounted on the inner end of the adjustable member 42, which then holds the valve in position. With the lock nut loosened the member 42 is turned so as to act through the cell 48 to shut off the flow through the tube 21 when the water reaches the desired temperature. The lock nut 45 is then tightened to retain the adjustment desired.

Whenever the temperature of the water in the tank falls below the amount for which the device is adjusted, the cell retracts and the valve 38 opens. Hot water in the line 16 flows through the tube 21 and, emerging from the sleeve "35, is deflected upwardly by the disk 33 and thoroughly mixed with the water in the tank.

As the temperature of the water rises, the cell 48 expands, acting as a resilient element, and moves the valve 36 upwardly. When the shouldered portion 37a enters the lower end of the sleeve 35 a body of water is trapped above the portion 37a and about the stem 37 and acts as a cushion to prevent chattering which otherwise might occur when the pointed end of the valve 36 starts to close against the seat 35a. During this valve-closing action, the cell 48 acts against the pressure of water in the line, the magnitude of this force being the unit pressure times the area of the cylindrical portion 37a immediately after this portion enters the lower end of the sleeve 35. However, when the pointed end of the valve seats against the valve seat 35a the pressure resisting the expansion of the cell is reduced, since the area of the effective valve seat is appreciably smaller than the area of the cylindrical section 37a. Therefore, when the valve 36 closes it does so with a snap action. Thereafter, the valve remains closed until the temperature drops several degrees, or, more exactly, until the water pressure times the reduced area of the valve seat equals the pressure exerted, at the lowered temperature, by the cell. Thus, there is a differential of several degrees between the opening and closing of the valve 36.

A modified form of valve support is shown in Figure 7. In this form of the invention the inner end 34 of the tube 21 and the sleeve 35 are secured to a curved bracket 61 of generally horseshoe configuration, being fixed in any suitable way to one end thereof, while the other end of the bracket threadedly receives the adjusting screw 42 on the inner end of which the thermally responsive cell 48 is mounted. The bracket 61, like the loop section 32, forms a valve-embracing portion. The bracket 61 may be formed of flat stock, with ends turned through 90 and apertured to receive the associated parts.

While I have shown and described above the preferred structure in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated, it is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the particular details shown and described above, but that, in fact, widely different means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of my invention.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with the flush tank of a toilet, of a conduit leading into said tank, a thermally responsive valve disposed within the tank and disposed so as to be responsive to the temperature of the water in the tank, means connecting said valve with the inner end of the tube to control the flow of hot water therefrom, and means to connect the other end of the tube to a source of hot water.

2. The combination with the flush tank of a toilet and a source of hot water, of a deformable conduit leading into said tank, said tube being adapted to be bent so as to pass over the edge of the tank and extend down into the interior thereof, a thermally responsive valve connected with and carried by the inner end portion of said tube, the latter being shaped to hold said valve and the inner end of said tube within the water in said tank, and means connecting the outer end of said tube only with said hot water source.

3. The combination with the flush tank of a toilet and an adjacent supply of hot water, of a conduit leading into said tank, a thermally responsive valve disposed Within the tank and connected with the inner end of the tube to control the flow of hot water therefrom, said valve having a thermally responsive element arranged with a greater extent of surface in thermal contact with the water in said tank than the amount of surface in thermal contact with the cold water supply, and means connected with the other end of said tube and with said source of hot water to supply the latter to said tube.

4. A water heater for a toilet flush tank, comprising a flexible tube, means at one end of said tube to connect the latter to a hot water line, a valve carried on said tube at the other end thereof for controllably closing and opening said other end, and a thermally responsive unit also supported by said tube and responsive only to the temperature of the water in the tank and connected with said valve to operate the latter.

5. A water heater for a toilet flush tank, comprising a flexible tube formed adjacent one end with an encircling loop, the open end of said tube extending toward the generally central portion of said loop, a valve mounted within said loop and arranged to open and close the open end of the tube, and a thermally responsive unit mounted on said loop and connected to shift said valve.

6. A device for introducing controlled amounts of hot water into a tank of water, comprising a tube adapted to be connected at one end with a source of hot water, the other end of said tube being disposed in said tank, a valve arranged to open and close said other end of said tube, and a thermally responsive unit supported on said tube within said tank and connected to operate said valve at any time the temperature of the water falls below a predetermined point, independently of flushing of the tank.

7. A device for introducing a controlled amount of hot water into a tank of water, comprising a tube adapted to be connected at one end with a source of hot water, the other end of said tube being disposed in said tank, a valve arranged to open and close said other end of said tube, and a thermally responsive cell of the expansible type carried by said tube in direct thermal contact with the water in said tank and having operative connection with said valve to move the latter to its closed position.

8. A device for introducing a controlled amount of hot water into a tank of water, comprising a tube adapted to be connected at one end with a source of hot water, the other end of said tube being disposed in said tank, a valve arranged to open and close said other end of said tube, and a thermally responsive cell of the expansive type carried by said tube and having operative connection with said valve to move the latter to its closed position, said tube being formed as a loop with the open other end facing a portion of said loop, and means on said loop portion supporting said thermally responsive cell.

9. A device for introducing controlled amounts of warm water into the flush tank of a toilet, comprising a flexible tube adapted to be connected at one end to a source of warm water, the other end portion of said tube being adapted to be bent so as to pass over the edge of the flush tank and to extend therefrom down into the interior of the tank in suspended relation with respect to the upper edge of the tank, the inner end of said tube facing downwardly, a thermally responsive valve means controlling the flow of water through the inner end of the tube, and a deflector on said valve adapted, when the valve is open, to deflect the flow of warm water generally upwardly in said tank.

10. A device for introducing controlled amounts of warm water into the flush tank of a toilet, comprising aflexible tube adapted to be connected at one end to a source of Warm water, the other end portion of said tube being adapted to be bent so as to pass over the edge of said flush tank and to extend therefrom down into the interior of the tank in suspended relation with respect to the upper edge of the tank, a thermally responsive valve means controlling the flow of water through the other end of the tube, and a deflector on said valve adapted when the valve is open to deflect the flow of warm water into different parts of the tank, said valve means including a valve stem, and said deflector being fixed to said stem.

11. A thermally responsive valve means and associated conduit, comprising a tube bent adjacent one end portion into a loop configuration including two turns and arranged so that the end of the tube extends toward the central portion of the loop, a threaded stud adjustable connected with said loop so as to extend toward said open tube end 'and between said two turns, a thermally responsive cell carried by said adjustable stud, and a valve controlled by said cell and disposed to control the flow of water or other fluid through said open tube end.

12. A thermally responsive valve means as defined in claim 11, further characterized by a nut member fixedly :secured to said two turns, the latter being spaced apart :at points adjacent said nut member, said threaded stud being adjustably disposed in said nut member, said cell having a portion screwed onto the inner end of said threaded stud.

13. A device for introducing controlled amounts of hot water into the flush tank of a toilet, comprising a length of flexible tubing, adapted to be bent so as to pass over the edge of the tank and down toward the bottom thereof, means on the inner end of said tube and carried thereby, forming a valve seat, a valve stem movable toward and away from said valve seat, supporting means having a first portion fixed to the inner end of said tubing and a second portion spaced axially from said valve seat, a thermally responsive unit of the expansible bellows type having one portion engaging said valve stem and the opposite portion carried by the second portion of said supporting means for controlling the amount of hot water admitted into the tank according to the temperature of the contents of said tank, and means at the outer end of said tube to connect the latter into an adjacent hot water line.

14. A water heater for a toilet flush tank, comprising a flexible tube, means at one end of said tube to connect the latter to a hot water line, a curved bracket of generally horseshoe configuration having one end fixed to the other end of said tube, a valve carried by said end of the curved bracket, a thermally responsive cell carried by the other end of said bracket and arranged to control said valve, and adjustable means connecting said thermally responsive cell to said other end of the bracket.

15. An anti-chatter valve structure, comprising a tube leading to a source of fluid pressure, a sleeve surrounding and extending from one end of said tube and formed with a valve seat having a given etfective area, said seat also .serving as a shoulder receiving said end of the tube, the inner diameter of the sleeve being substantially the same .as the outside diameter of said tube, whereby the effec- :tive cross section of said sleeve has a greater effective :area than the area of said valve seat, a valve member having a pointed end adapted to close against said seat :and formed with a stem portion that extends along said :sleeve with clearance, whereby fluid flowing out through :said valve seat passes through said sleeve, said stem hav- :ing a larger portion adapted to fit snugly within the opposite end of said sleeve, said stem being dimensioned :axially so that said larger portion enters said opposite end of said sleeve to shut olf flow through the latter before said pointed end closes tight against said seat, and resiliently acting means connected to operate said valve member.

16. A water heater for a toilet flush tank, comprising a flexible tube having one end open and carrying a valveembracing portion including one part fixed to the open end of the tube and a second portion spaced from said open end but disposed generally in alignment therewith, a valve mounted within said valve-embracing portion and arranged to open and close the open end of said tube, and a thermally responsive unit mounted on said other part of said valve-embracing portion and connected to shift said valve.

17. A water heater as defined in claim 16, further characterized by said valve-embracing portion comprising a bracket of generally curved configuration having one end secured to the open end of said tube and the other end supporting said thermally responsive unit.

18. A device for introducing controlled amounts of warm water into the flush tank of a toilet, comprising a flexible tube adapted to be connected at one end to a source of warm water, the other end portion of said tube being adapted to be bent so as to pass over the edge of the flush tank and to extend down into the interior of the tank in suspended relation with respect to the upper edge of the tank, a thermally responsive means controlling the flow of water through the inner end of the tube into the tank, said last named means including a valve, and a deflector on said valve adapted, when the valve is open, to deflect the flow of water generally toward remote points in said tank.

19. A water heater for a toilet flush tank, comprising a flexible tube, means at one end of said tube to connect the latter to a hot water line, a curved bracket of generally horseshoe configuration having one end fixed to the other end of said tube, a valve carried by said one end of the curved bracket, a thermally responsive cell carried by the other end of said bracket and disposed at least partially between the end portions of said curved bracket, and means connecting said thermally responsive cell with said other end of the bracket and with said valve to open and close the latter.

20. A Water heater for a toilet flush tank having a side wall, comprising a deformable tube, means at one end of said tube to connect the latter to a source of hot water, said deformable tube being adapted to be bent over the upper edge of said side wall and to extend down into the interior of the tank, said tube having sufficient rigidity to be supported by virtue of the bent portion thereof from said Wall of the tank, and a thermally responsive valve unit responsive to the temperature of the water in the tank and supportingly connected with, and adapted to control the flow of hot water from, said tube.

21. Means to maintain a supply of water in a container at a desired temperature, comprising a conduit extending into said container and leading from a source of water at the desired modifying temperature, valve means controlling the flow of water from the inlet of said tube, said valve means being disposed within said container, thermally responsive means disposed adjacent the discharge end of said tube and connected to control said valve, and means carried by said valve means and disposed between the discharge end of said conduit and said responsive means to protect the latter from immediate contact by water entering said container through said conduit when the valve is open.

22. The invention as defined in claim 21, further characterized by said valve means including a valve having a stem, and said protecting means comprising a deflector disposed between said valve means and said responsive means and carried by said stem.

23. The combination with a flush tank of a toilet, of a conduit leading into said tank, a thermally responsive means disposed within the tank and responsive to the temperature of the water in the tank, valve means connected to control the flow of water through said conduit, means connecting the latter to a source of hot water, and means connecting said thermally responsive means to said valve means.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent- 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS Parker Nov. 25, 1919 Weatherhead May 5, 1931 Weatherhead May 5, 1931 Campbell et a1. July 11, 1939 8 Reid June 2, 1942 Wah'lin Nov. 18, 1952 'Kelsc'h Feb. 16, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS France May 13, 1953 

